PORTLAND, Ore. — Construction on the planned Earthquake Ready Burnside Bridge has been pushed back for a second time this year, with Multnomah County again blaming ongoing federal uncertainty. The county moved the start date from 2027 to 2028 back in March, and announced on Monday that the project has now been pushed out past 2028 and a new date has not been determined.
The project is intended to replace the century-old bridge with one capable of withstanding a Cascadia Subduction Zone earthquake. It received federal approval last year, and the county said it will continue design work with the goal of reaching the 60% design milestone by next summer. However, the project will need to secure hundreds of millions of dollars in federal funding before it can break ground, and the county said that’s where it’s running into trouble.
“The current federal climate is impacting local public agencies nationwide, making it challenging to carry out crucial infrastructure projects without critical funding,” Multnomah County Department of Community Services Director Margi Bradway said in a statement. “As uncertain as the future appears, if and when things change, our goal is for the County to be as resourceful and prepared as possible to offer a construction-ready project.”…